What happens when:
(i) sodium metal is dropped in water?
(ii) sodium metal is heated in free supply of air?
(iii) sodium peroxide dissolves in water?
Account for the following:
(i) Sodium imparts colour to the flame.
(ii) Sodium acts as a strong reducing agent.
Name a few important uses of sodium ?
It is used:
(i) in sodium vapour lamps.
(ii) as a coolant in the valves of internal combustion engines and in nuclear reactions.
(iii) in drying organic solvents such as benzene to remove even last traces of moisture.
(iv) as a reagent for the detection of nitrogen, sulphur and halogens in the organic compounds.
(v) in sodium amalgam which is used as a reducing agent in organic synthesis.
(vi) in the preparation of sodium compounds such as Na2O2, NaCN, NaNH2.
(vii) in the manufacture of a sodium-lead alloy which is used in the manufacture of tetraethyl lead which is added to petrol as an antiknock compound.